Speaker: Dmitri Klimov, Bioinformatics and Comp. Biology, George Mason University

Title: Mechanical dissociation of amyloid fibrils

Abstract: Using experimental structures of Alzheimer's Abeta amyloid fibrils and all-atom molecular dynamics simulations, we study the force-induced fibril dissociation. We show that the mechanical dissociation of Abeta fibrils is highly anisotropic and proceeds via different pathways when force is applied in parallel or perpendicular direction with respect to the fibril axis. Abeta fibrils are found to be brittle in the lateral direction of unbinding and soft along the fibril axis. These findings are rationalized by the fact that lateral mechanical unbinding and the unbinding along the fibril axis load different types of fibril interactions. The implications of our simulations for atomic force microscopy experiments and for the comparison of the mechanical stabilities of amyloid fibrils and proteins are discussed.

Place: Science and Technology Building I, Room 242

Department of Mathematical Sciences
George Mason University
4400 University Drive, MS 3F2
Fairfax, VA 22030-4444
http://math.gmu.edu/
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